By Emma Amaize

WARRI—Foundation for Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Crusade, FHRACC, Centre for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, CENTREP and Ijaw People Development Initiative, IPDI, Delta State, have called on the Federal Government to set up a panel of inquiry to uncover the perpetrators of last month’s pipeline bombing in parts of the state instead of harassing innocent citizens with soldiers.

They cautioned against military attack on communities in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area of the state in the name of searching for the wrongdoers, saying it would make the faceless hoodlums to spread their tentacles to other parts of the region, as witnessed in the recent attack on pipelines by suspected militants in Bayelsa State.

CENTREP, Warri, in a statement by its Executive Director, Oghenejabor Ikimi, condemned the continued military siege to Gbaramatu Kingdom by the Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta.  However, the Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore R.O. Mohammed, has denied the allegation that naval personnel in Warri were intimidating residents of communities at Warri Over-side with indiscriminate shootings.

Routine exercise

He said: “It is a routine exercise carried out by the base as security measures two weeks ago and we informed some leaders of the community before we started the exercise. The Nigerian Navy is protecting the lives of citizens and not the other way round as alleged.” Also, Ijaw leaders in Gbaramatu Kingdom, have called on teachers and health workers, who fled the area in the wake of the military operation to return to avoid avoidable health crisis and students losing an academic session for no fault of theirs.

Call for inquiry

FHRACC in a statement by its National President, Mr. Alaowei Cleric, said, “It is expedient that the government, instead of sending the military to maim or harass innocent civilians should set up a body of inquiry to unearth the real culprits.

“The move by the military garrison in the region in intimidating the riverine communities will only give these miscreants the leeway to attack oil facilities across the length and breadth of the region. This is what is happening in Bayelsa State. Military action will only aggravate the situation because it will only reduce the region to a hot spot for oil companies to operate effectively,” he said.

On his part, National President of IPDI, Austin Ozobo, said, “We are saying that  JTF should stop harassing innocent citizens. The Federal Government should take a cue from Warri South-West Local Government Area and set up a body to find out the cause of the bombing and determine the way out, not to intimidate and terrorize villagers.”

Condemning the blockade of some riverine communities, Ikimi said information reaching CENTREP indicats that soldiers were engaged in random shooting in Gbaramatu communities. He said that the people took flight leading to the forceful closure of schools, churches, health centres and economic activities and desertion of the said area by medical personnel, teachers, clergymen, traders and other non-natives.

Vanguard learned that the leaders extensively deliberated on the sufferings of the people since the manhunt by security agencies for the pipeline bombers. The Bebenemowei (Chief Mobilizer) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekame, who spoke on the outcome of the meeting, said the leaders resolved that  nothing should be spared to bring peace to the area and that  those who took flight should return for normal life to resume.

He said: “The people are suffering because of this development. We are urging the health workers to return because the situation is bad for those who are sick and there is nobody or means of transportation to rush them to Warri.”